Judge Issues TRO Against OpenAI in Cameo Trademark Case

A federal judge in Northern California issued a temporary restraining order on November 21, 2025, barring OpenAI from using the term "Cameo" or similar phrases in its Sora video generation app, following a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the celebrity video platform Cameo.

The order, handed down by U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee in the Northern District of California, prohibits OpenAI from employing "Cameo," "Cameos," "CameoVideo," or any confusingly similar marks in connection with Sora's features or marketing. It remains in effect until December 22, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., with a hearing scheduled for December 19 at 11:00 a.m. to consider whether to extend it as a preliminary injunction. As of late Monday, the Sora app continued to display the "Cameo" designation, and OpenAI has not publicly confirmed plans for immediate compliance.

Cameo, a Chicago-based company operating for eight years, sued OpenAI on October 28, 2025, alleging that the AI firm's use of the term infringes on its registered trademarks and creates consumer confusion. Cameo's platform allows users to purchase personalized video messages from celebrities, such as Snoop Dogg, Tony Hawk, and Jon Bon Jovi,...